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Yuni Kristina

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Yuni Kristina

Silk batik shawls and scarves in Bali and Java

"My mother is my inspiration. She and I still design together, especially the floral and bird motifs that are typical in Pekalongan batik.”

Update (August, 2019)

“My name is Yuni Kristina and I was born in 1983 in Wonokerto, Pekalongan, Central Java. As part of Pekalongan regency, which is known as the ‘World’s City of Batik’, people in Wonokerto are also producing batik. Most housewives in Wonokerto are making batik, from small productions to large ones. There are stamp batiks and handmade batiks; all are available. Besides being known as ‘Batik City’, Pekalongan is also known as ‘Fisherman City’. Most of the men work as fishermen. My father also worked as a fisherman and my mother as a batik maker. As a fisherman my father could be gone anywhere from a month to six months; it all depended on how much fish he could catch.

“I started working in this field when I was 16 years old. After school I helped my mother in making batik. My mother taught me how to hold the canting, and how to draw on cotton or silk. I love making batik because batik has so many motifs that can be explored. To make batik one also needs patience and extraordinary skill.

“Even though now my life seems good and I can provide for my children, I used to work very hard when I was a teenager. When I graduated from senior high school, I had to work in two places. From 8am-4pm I worked for a phone seller, and after that from 4.30pm – 9.30pm I worked at a motorcycle counter in some mall. I did that for 6 years. I did that because I needed to support my father, since he was very sick at that time.

“Now, I am married to my lovely husband named Pande Putu Riecky Surya, and together we are blessed with a daughter and two sons. Our children are the best thing that ever happened to me. And they give us new spirit to work harder. My husband and I always give our best to give them a great education, so they can have a bright future. We hope that they can be humble people, and they can make a good impact for society.

“When I had just started my batik business, a lot of people underestimated my skill in making batik. Yet, by the time I could prove they were wrong, people started to recognize my business. I have made a lot of batik scarves and shawls, but my best and challenging one is the ‘Wine Garden’ shawl. The reason is because it uses two methods to make it beautiful. First, I do batik on silk, and then I draw flowers so the product is really colorful. The silk and cotton on my scarves are usually ones that I have picked. Then I give them to my helpers; I have 20 helpers, six men and fourteen women. My husband and I are the ones who coordinate them all. I am really proud to be a batik maker because I am also preserving my heritage, especially now that batik is known as original to Indonesia.

“I joined NOVICA in 2008; my husband was the one who brought our batik to NOVICA. And thankfully they accepted us and even helped us a lot. NOVICA has taught me to be really careful in making sure of the quality of my scarves and shawls. They have also taught me to be creative; as they demand new designs regularly. And big thanks to NOVICA, who gave us microcredit so I could expand my business. Since I joined NOVICA, now I own a house and two shops to sell my batik scarves. I even own a car and a motorcycle, and now I can support my children with the best education.”

Original Artisan Story

"I learned the art of batik when I was very young, since my mother is a batik artist in Java. She has been making batik at home for 23 years, while waiting each day for my father – a fisherman – to come home from the sea. As you can imagine, batik is a part of my life. I started experimenting with the technique when I was 13 years old, with mori textiles. Now I've learned to create different motifs and to work with other materials, such as silk. My mother still helps me a lot.

"My mother is my inspiration. She and I still design together, especially the floral and bird motifs that are typical in Pekalongan batik. My husband Rieckey also helps me a lot because he knows what people like abroad, and then I can focus on creating. I would like the batik of Bali to become well known around the world, since its beauty is outstanding."

Cause Badges

Preserving Traditions

Microcredit Financing

Empowering Women

Enabling Education

Caring for Children

65 items by Yuni Kristina

Reviews by Customers

Artist rating

Total reviews

217

Nancy

Verified Reviewer

06/29/2020

"Functional as well as decorative"

This lightweight shawl is wide enough and long enough that it can be wrapped around my shoulders over a summer dress when the temperature (whether indoors or out) suddenly drops, and it keeps me warm. I also wear it, draped in many different ways, with dresses year-round. It is long enough to hide middle-age bulges! The colors seem to go with almost everything I wear.

Tags By Nancy

Best Uses

Used as a wrap, or just a decorative scarf

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Purchased Item:

Euphoria, Handcrafted Floral Silk Wrap Shawl

Cynthia

Verified Reviewer

06/18/2020

"Stunning!"

I bought this for a friend, and she absolutely loves it!

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Purchased Item:

Jade Jasmine, Green Batik Silk Scarf

Chris

Verified Reviewer

06/15/2020

"perfect marraige of green and blue"

the two colors intricately dance across a lighter background. i enjoy both as wrap belt and neck enhancer.

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Purchased Item:

Kawung Biru, Blue and Green Traditional Hand-Stamped Batik Silk Shawl

Ann Y

From San Francisco Bay Area, California

Verified Reviewer

06/09/2020

"Exquisite!"

This beautiful shawl Java Sea is a treat. The colors and design are so pleasing and the silk is very soft and drapes well. This became an instant favorite. Im ordering a second one for my dear friend for her birthday.

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Purchased Item:

Java Sea, Batik Silk Shawl with Kawung Motifs from Bali

Daniela

Verified Reviewer

06/07/2020

"Elegant and yet easy to match with casual"

I purchased this scarf for a friend. She loves the softness of the fabric and the unique design. The colors are vivid and so fresh. Thank you!

Best Uses

Casual as well as elegant

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Purchased Item:

Royal Java Blue, Handmade Silk Batik Scarf from Indonesia

Diana W

From Ventura, CA USA

Verified Reviewer

05/26/2020

"So pretty"

My mother lives this piece. Beautifully crafted.

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Purchased Item:

Brown Paradise, Handmade Floral Silk Scarf

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